afrol News, 17 October - United States has today warned that it would consider launching new sanctions against Zimbabwean government if power-sharing deal with opposition proves futile.

Top US diplomat for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, announced during his visit to Japan that she was not optimistic that Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai would break a deadlock in negotiations.

"If it doesn't work, then we are going to continue pressure that we've put on government. We will look at new sanctions against president Mugabe and his regime," Frazer told media in Japanese capital, Tokyo.

She added that, "right now we're not so optimistic. It doesn't look very good for power-sharing."

Ms Frazer, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, is on a visit to Japan and China for talks on African hotspots and cooperation on aid to continent.

European Union (EU) foreign ministers at a meeting Monday in Luxembourg also warned of fresh sanctions unless Mr Mugabe respected power-sharing deal.

Former South African leader Thabo Mbeki was brokering talks to salvage month-old pact, under which 84-year-old Mr Mugabe would remain president and his archrival would take new post of prime minister.

Mr Tsvangirai has reportedly threatened to pull out of agreement after Mr Mugabe last weekend announced that he would award key ministries to his own party.

"Actions of president Mugabe are not consistent with any notion of power-sharing. We will have to see whether former president Mbeki will be able to get president Mugabe to agree to what he had agreed to, which was to truly share power," Ms Frazer said.

But Ms Frazer said that African leaders had biggest role to play in persuading Mr Mugabe to share power with Mr Tsvangirai.

"Ultimately Mr Mugabe rests and relies on support from his neighbours and I think that they have to become stronger and hold him to account," she said.

She added that, "21 heads of state that witnessed" signing of power-sharing agreement, they should be ones calling for him to honour commitments."

Ms Frazer insisted that further sanctions would not hurt people of Zimbabwe, where inflation is running at 231 million percent and 80 percent of population lives in poverty.

"We don't believe that our sanctions will impact on people's lives. They will impact on stealing of the government officials," she said.

She noted that US delivers food and health assistance to Zimbabwe. Existing US sanctions include bans on travel and trade with government leaders.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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